


The Doctor's Divorce.

by Ivanna_Jones



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M, Fanfiction, Married Couple
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-29
Updated: 2015-10-06
Packaged: 2018-04-24 00:14:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4897771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ivanna_Jones/pseuds/Ivanna_Jones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Detained Riversong sits in her cell, tortured by her unrelenting thoughts of the Doctor. She longs to go on her next adventure with him. But she may not have to wait for long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jailbreak

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Scarlett Van Gogh](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Scarlett+Van+Gogh).



Riversong truly loved the Doctor. Her level of love was disguised behind her clever ruse. The Doctor on the other hand; his intentions with his bride were unclear. Did he love her back, just the same? Or was Riversong just the product of time and space, whose main purpose was to fill a gap or fix a paradox in the universe? The biggest question in the universe, wasn't the Doctor's true name. It was this.

Who is Riversong to the Doctor?

This was a question that went through her head, many times as she lay in her cell; awaiting her knight in all his fez-y, bow tie glory. The confinements of her living space were too small to bear. She wanted to be with the Doctor, who offered the entire universe and all the space she desired. She wanted to travel with him, exploring galaxies, discovering planets and saving lives in between. That was how a married could  _should_ be. Not this whole frustrating business with the Doctor's commitment issues and Riversong's imprisonment. She sighed often, internally, externally and  _eternally_ , waiting for the Doctor to come back for her. She did her best to flip the switch in her mind to the more logical side, but it was impossible. The Doctor consumed her thoughts, day in and out. 

"Ugh, Doctor!" She called, mostly out of boredom and frustration. She was reasonably restless. She needed to get out and the Doctor was the only way out she would take. She didn't expect him to come, and he didn't.

But someone else did. And it wasn't anyone Riversong wanted to come across.

"Hurry men! Storm the building and take what you need. Should we encounter glorious battle, remember; we fight to the death!" Cries rang out from a battalion of warriors. Not just any warriors; the infamously annoying, Sontarans. Riversong was more than informed about their brutal and militant nature; enough to know that she needed to get the hell out of there. She lept from her hard bed and rushed to the lock on the bars. She reached into her pocket, pulled out a ring and put it on. It looked like a wedding ring, and was a gift from the Doctor. As romantic as that sounds, the ring was actually just the equivalent of a hair pin in terms of a lock pick. She tapped the lock with her ring finger and it opened.

"Hey!" someone yelled. River didn't stick around long enough to see who it was. "Get back here!"

River had escaped from this place plenty of times, but somehow still didn't know where it was exactly, she was going. Each hallway twisted and turned into another. There were no doors in sight. The panel beside her exploded in a flash of green light. The Sontarans had found her.

"Kill boys! Kill!" One screamed. The rest of them hollered a mangled battle cry and began firing at will. Shot after shot, they missed.

 _"Greatest soldiers in the galaxy my arse. They can't even aim properly."_ Riversong thought. She dodged to the left, a beam missing her by an inch. As the shots kept on coming, each panel next to and in front of her burst into flames. Sparks rained down from above as the electrical tubes disintegrated. She toppled to the right, dodging a burning tube and lost her footing.

 _"Damn it."_ The shot that hit her right below her neck came as no surprise to her. 

The Sontaran general laughed with accomplishment. "Ha ha ha! We've got her men!" A chorus of cheers rang out from the other soldiers. Riversong was no stranger to pain, but this was something else. She felt her flesh bubble and sizzle like bacon. It burned. Bad. She pictured a big black hole in her neck and the very image made her sick. But Riversong was always prepared. 

She whipped out a small ball, another gift from the Doctor. On it was a single button. It looked  _very_ nonthreatening, but she knew better. She clicked the button and threw it over her shoulder, towards the Sontarans. The bomb didn't even make a loud explosion. One little  _ding_ and that entire side of the ship was gone. The ball also put up a wall of protection. It supposedly constricted atoms together to form an unbreakable shield. Maybe. The Doctor doesn't make sense 98% of the time.

"Well thank god I was on  _this_ side of the ship." said a voice. "Hey pretty lady." The stranger stepped out to reveal a man, with dark hair and a smirk of confidence. 

"Why hello, Captain Harkness." 

"Oh please, call me Jack. Or Captain. Whatever you're comfortable with." he said with a wink. Riversong struggled to not roll her eyes. The universe's biggest flirt, Captain Jack Harkness, was here to...to do what, exactly? Rescue her? Kill her? Lecture her? What on earth was he here for?

"The Doctor sent me," he answered, "He said he needs you." Riversong's heart fluttered a little. He needed  _her_? She pushed herself up to her knees, her back injury stinging mercilessly. Harkness put his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet. His hands lingered there for far too long, but eventually let go before he got hit. 

"Not to be ungrateful or rude, but why did the Doctor send  _you_?" 

"Because he knows I'm the one person that can get something done and done right." He said, confidently. Riversong narrowed her eyes, wondering if that smirk of his ever went away.

"Be careful with that smile, Jack." she said, jealously, "You'll get crows feet on that pretty face of yours." She moved past him, unsure of where she was going to go. _He's_ the one person who can do things right? What about her? Did the Doctor agree with him? He lightly grabbed her arm.

"I'm flattered that you worry about me." Riversong's breath was stolen from her lungs and her body felt like goo being squished. Ugh, she  _hated_ cheap time travel. The TARDIS was so smooth you could relax in a lounge chair. This felt like she was being banged around as if she were in a flipping car. Probably an old prototype of a time machine. Eh, humans did their best. 

She cringed as they arrived at their destination. The sunlight was blinding after being in that dark cell for so long. She scanned her surroundings and was quick to recognize Earth. People bustled around, hurrying to get back to their daily lives. Jack started walking. 

"Keep up, River. I've got to get back to work."

"Just tell me where he is and I can escort myself there." He shook his head. 

"No good. He  _specifically_ said for me to bring you to him." Riversong was puzzled. Why was the Doctor being so cautionary? That wasn't exactly his style. Jack walked right up to a motorcycle and hopped on, patting the backseat to tell River to get on. He handed her a helmet as he put his on. 

"Come on," he said impatiently. 

 _"God, what's the rush, Captain?"_ She thought in annoyance. She threw her leg over the backseat and was barely able to hang on before Jack took off. He drove like a demon, as if there was no such thing as cops to pull him over, or other people who weren't in danger of being hurt. He swerved through cars and squeezed through tight spaces until they finally made it out of the city and into the countryside. Riversong wasn't an anxious person by any means, but riding with Jack Harkness would've terrified anyone. 

She saw it. That beautiful blue box. The doors swung open, welcoming them in. The roar of Jack's bike lowered to a low growl as he stopped inside. 

"Here's where you get off." He said, but River was already off.

"Until next time, Captain Jack." she said, flirtatiously. He grinned and winked, backing his bike out into the countryside where it took off once more, heading back for the city. She snapped, closing the doors. 

"Hello sweetie." she sighed, turning around. 

"River, run!" called the Doctor. He was chained to the counsel, struggling to break the chains. His clothes were shredded and burned. His hair was scatted and his face desperate.

"EXTERMINATE!"


	2. Saved For Another Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riversong is back with the Doctor, along with some unwelcome company. There is but one sure-fire way to get them out of their predicament: and River doesn't like it, one bit. Can she come up with another plan, before her worst nightmare comes true?

"Doctor, are you okay?" she asks, completely disregarding the Dalek in front of her. The Doctor, his breathing heavy, his movements spastic and his fear clear on his face, struggles to break free from his chains. His pleas for her to run, continue to go unheeded. Riversong was a great actress. On the outside, she looked to have no fear of her enemy, but on the inside, her fear consumed her. 

"Riversong, please, just go!" 

"Oh would you shut up. Desperation is not becoming of you, Doctor." 

"Enough of this." The Dalek said, "You will come with us." 

Riversong found this more concerning than if he were to just start screaming 'exterminate'. Dalek's existed only to kill; so the fact that  _this_ one had only chained up the Doctor-rather than killing him-and was taking her prisoner, was worrisome indeed. She forced a smile onto her face.

"Why, I'd love to. I always get so sad and lonely when my husband here goes away on his business trips." she said, walking past the Dalek and leaning up towards the Doctor.

"River." he said, anger creeping into his voice.

"Oh, honey, don't get so upset. You can't think clearly when you do." The Dalek rolled up behind her, chaining her to the console as well. 

"River, I said to  _run_. Now you're going to get killed too." 

"That's a ridiculous notion. Since when do you give up?" She demanded. The Doctor opened his mouth and closed it again, defeated by Riversong's sharp tongue. 

"Now take us to Trenzalore." the Dalek commanded. Both the Doctor and Riversong froze. Both knew very well the significance that Trenzalore held: the Doctor's final resting place. Going there just the one time caused a rip in the continuum that was barely fixable. Going again could destroy the universe. 

"GO!" it commanded again. 

"We can't go there." the Doctor informed. 

"And why not?"

"Because you lumpy metal tube, every race, including yours, will be wiped out!" Riversong felt guilty that she found it to be a turn on whenever the Doctor was upset. Was that a bad thing? Probably.

"Let's just do what he says, dear." she suggested. The Doctor looked at her, startled. River smiled at him, as if she had an idea, when in reality, she had no clue as to how to get them out. Complying gave time to come up with a plan. But you only have so much time before complying becomes death. She reached forward and pushed a lever forward. The TARDIS jumped to life, shaking with anger. She did  _not_ want to go there. 

"Come on, we have to get there!" River said. She leaned down over the console as if to examine the controls and whispered, "Trust me. I'll get us out of this." She felt the TARDIS fight indignantly for a bit, before conceding. Riversong was her child after all; she had to trust her. The pressure was on; she had to get them out, no matter what.

 

____________

 

The Dalek marched them out. Trenzalore looked depressing as ever. The graves seemed to have doubled since they'd been there last. The sky was darker. The air colder. The feeling, more sinister.

"Start moving." The Dalek commanded, poking Riversong in the back.

"Hey!" the Doctor shouted, his movement's protective and threatening, "Don't touch her with your stupid plunger!" The Dalek's eye raised as if surprised by the Doctor's tenacity. 

"Just move." it responded. They did. The Doctor's mind raced with different plans and ideas to get them out of here. He had considered all plans to escape  _and_ defeat the Daleks, but it seemed more likely that they would just have to make a hasty retreat. Riversong looked at him, knowing his thought pattern, and started thinking up a plan of their own. Ahead of them was a strange-looking tomb, about the size of three TARDISes. Not very large, but ominous nonetheless. The Dalek aimed his gun and fired at the wall, blowing a hole through the door. 

"Go in." They did. This was where compliance was turning into a death sentence. They needed to hurry. Riversong internally sighed with relief at the Doctor's expression. He had come up with a plan. Along the rocky walls, seams split, the interior glowing white. Rips in the universe. They were right; coming here would destroy everything. 

"River," the Doctor said, lowly. What he was about to say obviously weighed heavy on him. "Do you remember when we got married?" Riversong's heart fluttered. Of  _course_ she did. It was the happiest day of her life. But he couldn't know; after all, a lady had to play the game, at least a  _little_ bit. 

"I hardly think this is the time to bring up an old sentimentality." 

"I mean it. Do you remember  _why_ we got married?" Her heart sunk. Yes, she did remember. It was cruel really. The Doctor married her in an attempt to show how much he cared.  _But,_ it was also to fix the ripple in time she had caused. There were days when her soul would sing with happiness at the thought of their wedding; that the Doctor cared, maybe even loved, her. But there were plenty of days where Riversong despaired at the thought that it was probably just an excuse for him to touch her and fix time. 

"Our marriage sewed together the seams of the universe and restored time to its proper state." he explained. Riversong died a little on the inside; her suspicions seeming realized. She didn't like where the rest of this was heading. "The resolution we were seeking has righted itself. I think our connection can serve another purpose."

"And what is that?" River asked, less than thrilled. 

"If we disconnect our bond, then it's possible that our way of fixing the universe could fix it again if it was undone for another purpose."

"But couldn't that cause a paradox?"

"Most likely. But what other option is there?" A million more. There had to be. The last thing Riversong wanted was a divorce. She flipped through her ideas, but none of them would've worked. 

 _"Come on Riversong, think!"_ she urged. Nothing. 

"Riversong, we should get a divorce." he said, outright. Those words hurt worse than anything River had ever experienced; every gunshot wound, every jump out of a building, everything. 

"But what if it makes things worse?" she forced, desperate.

"We'll have to see." At this point, they finally showed up to their destination. The Doctor expected there to be a huge collection of Daleks there to see his demise, but there were only a few. One was a general, his shell painted purple and gold; royal colors. The rest were battered and beaten; veterans, possibly from the Time Wars.

"Hello Doctor." he said. He received no such pleasantry. "I bet you are wondering what you are doing here."

"Not really," he replied, "you Daleks are  _so_ predictable. You're here to, 'exterminate', aren't you?" 

"You catch on quickly Doctor. But we need you in order to do so." 

"And why do you need her?" The Doctor tilted his head towards his soon-to-be ex-wife. Riversong couldn't help but wonder why he was asking about  _her_ instead of asking why they needed  _him_. Her heart uplifted ever so slightly; maybe the Doctor  _did_ love her.

"She is mostly to keep you in line. But in case you are terminated, she will work to serve our purpose." Riversong suspected that they needed the TARDIS for something. If anything happened to the Doctor, they needed someone to continue flying it, and who better to do that than the child of the TARDIS herself? 

"Is the TARDIS secured?" 

"Yes General."

"Excellent. Let us enter." The TARDIS's doors refused to open at first, but then gave in. The Doctor had never looked so angry or disgusted. Those Daleks were defiling his precious TARDIS. And they were going to pay. 

"We have secured the TARDIS!" one Dalek rejoiced. The rest of them joined in, cheering. 

"River, quick!" the Doctor said, jerking around. "Say you relinquish all ties to me." 

"What?!"

"River, there's no time! You must break up with me!"

"Bu-but."

"Hurry, River! I, the Doctor, Time Lord of Gallifrey, agree to recall my vows with the permission of my partner." Forget the possible tear in the universe this would cause, it was ripping apart Riversong's universe. He was all she ever wanted; they were married and everything! And here he was, taking that away. But Riversong saw no alternative. This had to be done.  

"I, Melody Pond better known as Riversong, daughter of Rory and Amy Pond and child of the TARDIS, relinquish all ties to the Doctor." The effects of their separation were instantaneous. The tears in the wall sewed up. The Daleks froze mid-cheer. The air seemed to have been sucked out of the cavern. it was almost as if time had stopped, only the Doctor and Riversong remaining unaffected. The Doctor ran forward, shifting his way through the frozen Daleks into the TARDIS. Riversong followed. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the Daleks and they began to move. River jumped, on the defense, but the Daleks simply rolled out of the TARDIS, without becoming unfrozen. 

"River, let's go!" Riversong jumped at the chance to help, manning the other half of the console. The TARDIS worked, but seemed weak, unable to fade out into another time. The Doctor was able to move it to outside the cavern, but that was almost worse. They were out in the middle of Trenzalore, the most hated planet in the galaxy. Who knows what could happen?

The TARDIS jerked to life, her sound blasting through the thin air. She began to spin and twirl, the divorced duo flying through time and space.

"What did you do?" River asked.

"I have a few tricks left up my sleeve." he replied with a mischievous smile. "And I have a few more that I'm going to save." 


	3. Anew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So the Doctor and Riversong fixed the universe...maybe. But for the moment, it looks like they're in the clear. But what will their relationship be like now that they're divorced? And where are they headed? Are they going to have one last adventure together? Or is the fun over forever?

The TARDIS, originally spiraling out of control, came to a smooth and gentle stop. The Doctor just stood there, quietly. Normally, he bounced around, excited about wherever or whenever they were. But right now, he wasn't. There was something troubling him.

"Doctor," Riversong said, resisting the urge to touch him, "what did those Daleks want?"

"Nothing. To destroy, nothing more. If they wanted my TARDIS, then they must have wanted to destroy something in the past. Probably to alter the future. Doesn't matter now, we're safe."

"Are we? There's no such thing as being 'safe' when you're involved." Riversong almost added 'sweetie' to the end of that sentence, but she stopped herself. She held back tears. This was horrible. Torture. 

 _"Was it easy for you, Doctor? To let me go. Was I just yesterday's rubbish you had rummaged through until you didn't find anything good or useful? You bastard, I loved you! I still do, but you never did. You hypnotized me with your charm; tricked me into believing you at least_ cared  _about me!"_

"Let's go, River. See where we are."

"You mean you don't know?" 

"Wherever we landed, the TARDIS chose it." 

"Well then, let's just see where we are." she responded, a sprinkle of jealousy in her voice. The Doctor loved his TARDIS more than her. He loved an old box, more than his own  _wife._ I guess ex-wife now. Riversong opened the doors, expecting to see a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but instead there was a glorious scene. There was a city in the distance, a city that surpassed that of any modern one on Earth. The skyscrapers pierced the sky, taller than that of any building River had ever seen. Dead center was a dome-shaped building with a strange peak on it. Surrounding it were triangular, square, even round buildings of various shapes and sizes. The water encompassing the city was clear as glass. Over it was a bridge that went from the grassland into the city. 

"Is this New New York?" she asked. She had heard about it, but never visited. She never thought she'd get the chance since her and the Doctor's time was...limited. 

"Well, technically, it's New New New New N-." 

"Yes, yes, I get it. Well let's hope you won't have any chores to do here." River said, trying to keep the bitterness from her voice. 

"Since when is saving people, planets and galaxies a 'chore'?" the Doctor responded, playfully. He tapped at her hand. A wave washed over Riversong. God dammit! His touch still made River feel alive; like every single torture in life was worth it, just to touch him again. 

"Come on, lets go see some cool things!" he said, his bubbly, joyful self coming back. River couldn't match his sense of enthusiasm, but did her best. 

 _"Savor the moment, River."_ she thought,  _"This could be your last adventure with the Doctor."_

 

______________

 

They walked on the bridge that led to New New York. The Doctor stared straight ahead, anticipating some great adventure before him. River gazed off the side, out towards the water, it was still and calm, unlike her mind. The Doctor always lies, so River couldn't put her head around why he brought them here, of all places. This destination wasn't the choice of the TARDIS, that much was obvious. So  _why_?  _  
_

"I can't wait to show you this lovely venue! The Americans have-." 

"Why are we here?" River winced. She almost called him 'sweetie' again. God this divorce was horrible. She was denied even the simple pleasure of calling him by her little pet names. 

The Doctor smirked, that infamous mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Spoilers, River." Riversong smiled. She loved that man. They stopped at a station where other people were waiting for the train, both patiently and impatiently.

"I swear, the number of people are just going to build up and the train will _still_ never get here!" one complained. The Doctor slyly pulled out his screwdriver, pressing it for only a second as not to arouse attention. The train arrived, almost instantly.

"I rerouted the train. The conductor is rather lazy; undoubtedly taking his time before coming here. I sent electromagnetic waves as a sort of signal to-."

"Yes, yes, that's all very fascinating, but we better hurry or we'll have to wait for the next one." They boarded the train, the mood and general atmosphere much lighter and happier that these people were finally on the way to their destination.

The train itself was rather nice. River remembered New York trains back in the present and how they were truly disgusting. Even the New Yorkers, when she asked, undeniably agreed. This train was modern, updated and most importantly: clean. The interior looked to be a cross-mix of stainless steel and porcelain. The floor, while still dirty, looked clean enough to eat on. There were no bars attached to the ceiling, and when people walked, the ground turned blue where they stepped. 

"The floor is an example of reversal magnetic polarity. Helps with balancing so bars aren't necessary." the Doctor explained. He always seemed to know what was going through River's mind. Riversong wondered if there was deeper meaning behind that. Was the ability to read her a husband thing, or just another Doctor thing? 

"Doctor."

"Yes?"

"There's been something in the back of my mind that I can't figure out."

"What's that?" the Doctor asked, his interest peaked. He  _loved_ being able to answer questions others didn't know. Show off that big, sexy brain. 

"Jack Harkness. Why would he deliver me to my possible death?" 

"I asked him to. I contacted him since I knew I would not be able to retrieve you myself." 

"So then why did,  _you_ want me to die?" 

"I didn't want you to die. I considered the possibility that you would have a repetitive constitution; that's why we're still able to meet from time to time. Should our bond be broken, I had a theory that that repeating nature could possibly stop. It probably did since the Daleks were frozen in place."

"But shouldn't you have been frozen too; you're also a part of my so-called repetitive nature. Why were you fine?"

"No idea," he said with a smile, curling his fingers together with excitement. 

"That was quite dangerous, you know. I could've been killed." 

"Oh, I doubt it. You know how to take care of things just fine." River blushed at the Doctor's praise. "Come on, I want to get to this venue." Riversong found this extremely bizarre. The Doctor never had a plan; a specific place he wanted to get to at a specific time. The Doctor was more of a wing-it kind of person. What was so important about this damn venue? 

They arrived at said place several minutes later. It was a skyscraper; it had a strange shape. From above, it would almost look like a daisy a first grader would draw. A circle surrounded by a bunch of other circles. Riversong was impressed with the creativity of the architecture, but didn't see why the Doctor would want to come here so badly.

"Remember when I said I had a few more tricks up my sleeve?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're about to find out what they are." He turned around, almost bounce-skipping into the flower building.

 

_____________

 

 

The building was possibly one of the most outstandingly beautiful examples of architecture River had ever witnessed, both inside and out. She expected the inside to either be grandiose in futuristic, alien decor or a complete wasteland, but she was pleasantly surprised. Marble columns matching the floor reached the ceiling. The doorways were intricately designed arches. The walls itself clearly showed the product of countless hours of the finest artists ever known, well spent. Chandeliers draped down, highlighting the room with a romantic glow.

"Wow, Doctor. This is phenomenal." River should've called the police because this place stole the breath right out of her lungs. 

"I knew you'd like it!" The Doctor said, grinning. His face was radiating happiness. "Now." he said, jumping with hyper activity, "Come with me, there is much to be done." He rushed down the hall, disappearing beyond an archway. 

"Doctor, wait!" Riversong ran after him, but couldn't find him anywhere amidst the columns, banners and countless pieces of decor. "Doctor! Damn, I'm going to give that man a-." 

"Hello, ma'am." said a small, sweet voice. Riversong turned around to see a young girl. Like always, Riversong never trusted a pretty, young, or innocent face. This girl was short, around 5'0", with long brown hair and big green eyes. She looked like she was 13 at most. 

"Who are you? What is your name?"

"That is irrelevant, ma'am. The Doctor saved my family once, so I owe it to him to help."

"Help with what?" The girl did not answer the question. Instead, she turned and walked away. Riversong knew better than to follow, but she did anyway. Her curiosity would surely be the death of her. 

The girl turned and turned down each new hallway they came across until to came upon an ornate door. 

"Here we are. There are some different choices in there. Pick one and come out when you're ready." Riversong watched as the girl disappeared around the corner. That was just bizarre. She was still unsure if the girl was actually a girl or a young woman. And what was her story? Did it really matter? River opened the door and found herself in a surprisingly normal room. There were four symmetrical walls painted an eggshell white. There were no windows or decorations. There was a small cafe table in the corner with two small chairs. Shoe boxes were stacked on top of each other. On the opposing side of the room, there was a rack with a multitude of bagged clothes.

 _"What is the Doctor planning?"_ Riversong thought. Her heart jumped. Maybe, just maybe... _"No, don't be a naive fool, River."_ Nonetheless, she was curious about the content of all those bags. One by one she unzipped them, marveling at the sight of the intricate designs. Dress after dress after dress. Some were white, others were red, two were purple and one was blue. TARDIS blue. River giggled. That Doctor and his TARDIS. Then, tucked away in the last bag was a casual outfit consisting of a leather jacket, leggings and a skirt. She smiled. She felt heartened to know that the Doctor was thinking about her comfort zone. River couldn't really remember the last time she wore a dress; it just wasn't her style. Her hand instinctively reached for the outfit before she changed her mind and grabbed the blue dress instead. The dress was long, with long sleeves that hung off her shoulders. A small belt of rhinestones (or was it real diamonds? There were some times and places where diamonds didn't hold much value) wrapped around her waist, accentuating her womanly form. She didn't want to keep the Doctor waiting. She grabbed the first blue shoes she saw, fluffed her hair and marched out the room, incredibly self-conscious. What if she didn't pick the best-looking dress? What if the Doctor was expecting her to be wearing the casual outfit? Whatever was going on, was she too overdressed for it? The girl appeared out of nowhere, almost slamming into Riversong. 

"You look stunning." She complimented. It sounded like she tried to sound enthusiastic, but failed and sounded sarcastic instead. "Follow me, the Doctor is waiting." 

 

__________

 

The woman-girl walked not even fifty feet when they arrived at their destination. River's heart pumped furiously. For God's sake give her more time! The doors opened. This room was not unlike the others throughout the building. It was beautifully decorated with columns and impressive carvings in both marble and wood. River's heels clicked against the floor, echoing out in the silence. Even though it was just her and the girl, she felt like several eyes were on her. The woman-girl led her to the front of the room. 

"Wait here." She left, not another word. River felt like an idiot, standing there in a gown, all gussied up for an unknown occasion.

That sound, that beautiful sound of hope and adventure bellowed out from thin air, the TARDIS materializing before River. The second the TARDIS solidified, it began to disappear once more. Riversong frowned. What was the Doctor doing? Making a fool out of her, mocking her? No, that was cruel. The Doctor has done some things in his life he regrets, but being cruel wasn't one of his traits that comes from his past. As the TARDIS faded out completely, the Doctor was left behind, standing there before River, perfectly polished. His hair was neat and tidy, his shirt and pants pressed. He wore his finest red bow and nicest suspenders. His outfit was completed with a lovely red fez that complimented his bow-tie nicely. He stood up straight, his hands tightly clasped together in front of him. His face glowed with bright eyes and a huge smile. River couldn't remember a time when the Doctor looked so happy. 

"What's going on Doctor?" 

"You look fantastic, River." it was as if he did even hear her question. He sounded breathless. That was incredibly strange. The Doctor never really sounded like that. 

"Why thank you, but what is goi-." 

"How would you feel about going to a wedding?" River's heart jumped with excitement. They were getting married again!? Riversong wanted to jump and cheer and throw her arms around her love. 

Restraint was a bitch, but a rational one. 

"Why, that sounds lovely." 

"Great, lets go!" The Doctor skipped into a jog, running out of the room.

"Doctor, wait!" She called, doing her best to keep up in her heels. What the hell?! What was with all this? If they were just going to someone else's wedding, then why not just go in the TARDIS? What, would it make too much noise? The Doctor wasn't courteous like that. And what was with all the secrecy and all the rooms they went to? This was all so very strange. Even for being with the Doctor.

The Doctor didn't go very far, but in heels, distance is always much longer than it really is. The doors, very similar to those of the rooms River had visited, opened to reveal an even plainer room than the one she had changed in. At the front of the room stood three people. Two were clearly a couple and the other almost looked like a happy third wheel. Probably the wedding the Doctor was talking about. The couple and the pastor. 

The Doctor held out a chair and River sat. The watched the wedding of two complete strangers. The Doctor beamed as if his best friend or kid was getting married. River loved him, but she was also about to smack him for wasting her time. Finally, the pastor declared them man and husband, they kissed, yay hoorah happy ending. The taller groom swept down, picked up his husband and carried him out. The Doctor clapped furiously and River copied, halfheartedly. 

"Alright Doctor, we've seen your wedding. Now can we go somewhere a little more exciting." The Doctor didn't respond; River knew he didn't listen or rather disregarded what she said. The pastor collected all his things and made his way out of the room, almost exhausted. The Doctor clapped.

"Our turn!" He said, happily. 

"What?"

"Yeah, get up here. Or do you not want to get married?" He smiled at her, his grin sincere and warm. It filled Riversong with comfort and happiness as if it was an intoxicating hot chocolate. "I know I do." Electricity ran through her body. Every cell in her being sang with joy. River felt like a silly little girl, reading fictional stories about love and the sensations of it. She never thought she'd feel this way, especially not about the Doctor. The man she was raised to kill. 

"Well, I certainly didn't want to get divorced." 

"Then let's rectify that." River got to her feet calmly, though she wanted to jump and run up to him. She needed to look as dignified as possible. Make the Doctor regret divorcing her in the first place. She made sure she showed off all her best assets, even though she knew the Doctor wasn't really attentive to that kind of thing. 

They stood, in a plain room, in a grand building, in an amazing city, getting married for the second time. This time around, Riversong felt like the Doctor was marrying her because of  _her._ No involvement of anyone else, no universes, people, races, planets. Just her and the Doctor. This was better than their first wedding, by far. As cheesy as it sounds, River's heart swelled with love for the Doctor. He glowed so bright, one could mistake such light for regeneration energy. No pastor was there to ruin their special moment. Her parents weren't there, but that was alright and they didn't need their permission this time anyway. Just her and him. The perfect duo, sharing their most precious moment with just each other. 

"I, the Doctor, take you once more, to be my wife, Riversong, born Melody Pond." 

"And I, Riversong, take you, the Doctor, to be my husband."

"Through thick and thin."

"In sickness and in health."

"In danger and safety."

"Against impossible odds."

"Or enjoying life's pleasures." 

"I tie myself to you indefinitely. Until the end of time." His words brought tears to River's eyes. For an immortal Time Lord, who would surely move on and change forms, this was saying a lot.  _A lot._ This was permanent. She would  _always_ be his wife. Sure, he could love others, she didn't mind. Hell, he was married to Queen Elizabeth I. Their time together forever was unlikely, even impossible. But she would always be his, and vice versa. He didn't even say that at their first wedding. This ceremony was for  _them_ , no one else. 

"And I devote myself to you, and I will always be your wife." She had already paid an immense price for the Doctor: the loss of her Time Lady power of regeneration. She would be in this form the rest of her life. Her time was limited, just like a regular human's. She basically sentenced herself to death, to save the man she loved, a man she believed was worth it. And she still believed. She always will. The Doctor couldn't possibly ask more of her and he knew that. And he was grateful. 

"I couldn't have a better wife. Not even the Queen, nor anyone else." he said, lovingly.

"You know, sweetie," she said, overjoyed that she could call him that again, "it's not usually customary to talk about your other wives at your wedding." The Doctor didn't have a good enough comeback to use, so instead, he just kissed her. It wasn't that cliche, passionate embrace from the books. It was so much better. The Doctor clearly put as much passion and love into it as he could muster. No need for theatrics. Riversong loved it and him all the same. 

"I love you, Doctor." she said. 

"And I love you, Riverso-." 

The door exploded open with a blast. 

"EXTERMINATE! You think we would not find you, Doctor! EXTERMINATE!" the Dalek shot at them, his aim terrible. 

"EXTERMINATE!"

"EXTERMINATE!"

A symphony of Dalek battle cries rained down upon the remarried couple. The looked to each other and smiled.

"In danger and in safety."

"Against impossible odds."

The Doctor took out his sonic screwdriver and smiled. Riversong returned the grin and turned toward the Daleks, with no fear. She was with her beloved, her husband. Together, they can do anything.

The first Dalek exploded with a single push of his screwdriver.

"One down."

"Just a few thousand to go." 

 


End file.
